The King's Speech rules overseas on $19m weekend

The Oscar winner has emerged as the leading performer at the international box office after an estimated $18.9m weekend haul through FilmNation licensees, the New York-based company said on Monday [7].

The King’s Speech stands at $183.5m, bringing the worldwide total to more than $307m. It opened in five territories including Hong Kong and Taiwan and grossed $1.6m in the second weekend in Japan for $5.3m.

A $1.7m haul in the ninth weekend in the UK boosted the tally to $65m and there were further Oscar bumps in Australia, where $1m resulted in $25.6m after 10, and Spain, where $616,000 raised the running total to $10.6m after nine.

The underwater adventure Sanctum added $4.6m for $52.5m through Film Nation licensees and has amassed $1.7m in France after two weekends.

Paramount, Nickelodeon Movies and GK Films’ animation Rango complemented the number one North American launch by securing pole position overseas thanks to an estimated $16.5m generated from the first wave of releases through PPI.

Active in 3,815 venues in approximately half of the international market, the film debuted top in the UK on $3.1m from 471. It also launched at number one in Mexico on $2.7m from 511 and in Spain on $1.9m from 369 locations.

Rango opened in Germany on $1.9m from 531 and arrived in South Korea on $1.2mn from 456. It also opened top in Argentina on $450,000 from 106 and took $400,000 from 92 in the Netherlands.

The second wave next weekend includes Brazil, Australia, New Zealand and Italy, followed by Russia on Mar 17 and France on Mar 23. Japan follows in autumn.

True Grit grossed $8m from 3,063 sites in 57 territories as the international running total climbed to $61m. Second weekend highlights included $2.1m from 404 in France for $7.1m and $1.4m from 270 in Germany for $4.3m.

No Strings Attached grossed $7m from 2,835 locations in 43 markets for a promising $44.6m. The Natalie Portman vehicle opened in Russia on $1.9m from 430 and held well in France on $1m for $6.6m.

The King’s Speech continued a remarkable run in Australia where it added $1.1m from 244 in its 11th weekend for $27m. The best picture Oscar winner has amassed an excellent $3.2m in New Zealand. FilmNation licensed international rights. Justin Bieber: Never Say Never stands at an early $6.5m and opens in Germany next weekend.

Fox International’s champion of recent weeks Black Swan remains a powerhouse overseas and added $15.6m from 3,959 screens in 45 markets to push the tally to $147.6m. It stayed top in South Korea for the second consecutive weekend after rising 11% to $2.4m from 351 for $6.3m and added $2m in France from 412 for $16.6m after four weekends and $1.8m from 328 in Spain for $9.1m after three.

Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son grossed $4.8m from 2,368 in 32 for $19.7m. The comedy opened in 11 new markets and took $1m from 396 in Germany and $567,000 from 116 in Brazil.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International reported that DreamWorks’ action thriller I Am Number Four added $12m from 4,184 screens in 26 markets for an early $42.1m. China was the key driver on $3.7m from 1,200 for $9.4m after two weekends and the film added $1.3m from 233 in Australia for $5.1m and $1.1m from 643 in Russia for $5.3m, both also after two weekends.

Tangled grossed a further $4.4m from 3,535 screens from 52 territories in its 14th weekend for $350.5m and ranks as Disney’s seventh biggest animated release. It opens in Japan next weekend.

Gnomeo And Juliet grossed $2.2m from 909 screens for $12.5m from Disney markets. Australia was a crucial territory and generated $1.1m from 219 for $5.2m after two weekends. Pathe markets have produced $29.1m so far and global box-office inclusive of Pathe territories and the North American release through Buena Vista stands at $125.3m. Tron: Legacy added $1m from 989 for $224.9m.

Universal’s sci-fi thriller The Adjustment Bureau launched through UPI in select territories day-and-date with North America and scored Matt Damon’s biggest opening weekend since The Bourne Ultimatum in 2007.

The film grossed $10.5m from 1,957 sites in 21 markets led by the UK on $2.4m from 438 for second place behind Rango. The Adjustment Bureau landed in second place in Australia on $1.9m from 219 and took $1.8m from 233 in South Korea for second place. Spain generated $1.4m from 292 and Russia delivered $1m from 273. There are 41 territories to go and the film opens in 10 territories including Germany next weekend.

Paul, the sci-fi homage that has become a smash in the UK, added $4.2m over the weekend from 676 venues in three territories for an early international total of $22.1m. It opened in third place in France on $2m from 280 and held firm in the UK in fourth place as a further $2m from 425 boosted the tally after three weekends to $19.9m. Paul will roll out across the rest of the world in the next several months.

Sony Pictures Releasing International reported that rom-com Just Go With It grossed $7.3m from 2,070 screens in 33 markets for $35.1m. It opened in Brazil on $1.8m from 283 for a possible first place finish and added $2.1m in Germany from 521 for $5.8m after two weekends.

The promise of Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie proved irresistible for Japanese audiences as GK Films’ The Tourist debuted on $3.8m from 349 in second place. The film grossed $5.1m overall from 2,580 in 35 markets and stands at $191m. The Green Hornet has grossed $128.4m.

Exploitation release Drive Angry grossed $4.6m from more than 1,600 screens in 18 Warner Bros territories as the early score climbed to $7.5m. The film launched in second place in Russia on $2.8m from 698 screens behind Fox International Productions’ local title Love Carrot 3 (Lubov Markov 3). The second weekend in Germany generated $552,000 from 402 for $2m.

Family release Yogi Bear added $4m from more than 3,600 screens in 40 markets for $97m and stands at $14.3m in Australia, $13.2m in the UK and $10.5m in Mexico. New Line’s supernatural thriller The Rite added $3.6m from more than 1,600 in 25 for $25.2m.

Thriller Unknown stands at $18.4m following a $3m haul from approximately 1,200 screens in 24 Warner Bros markets, and the Farrelly Brothers comedy Hall Pass took $2.3m from 443 screens in five markets and opened top in Australia on $2m from 305. Clint Eastwood’s supernatural drama Hereafter has amassed $71.1m.

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